Anderson, BBC Sport, Ampeco Curtain
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed that Ukrainian skeleton competitor Vladislav Geraskevich has been banned from wearing a helmet for violating a rule stipulated in the Olympic Charter, but will be allowed to wear a black armband to pay tribute to the victims of the war in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Olympian previously said that the IOC had banned him from competing at the Winter Olympics in Italy wearing a helmet with images of people killed in the war in Ukraine.
"My heart is breaking," he wrote on Instagram profile.
The 26-year-old was wearing a helmet with pictures of the victims war in Ukraine during training on the skeleton track in Cortina d'Ampezzo at the Winter Olympics.
He said on the eve of the Games as an opportunity to highlight the suffering in a war approaching its fourth year.
"The IOC has banned me from wearing this helmet at official training and competitions," wrote Geraskevych, who carried the Ukrainian flag at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan.
"The decision breaks my heart. I feel like the IOC is betraying athletes who were part of the Olympic movement by not allowing them to be honored on the fields where those athletes will never set foot again."
"Despite precedents in the modern era and previous cases when the IOC allowed similar honors, this time they decided to set special rules just for Ukraine," Geraskevych believes.
Geraskevich told Reuters that many of those whose pictures are on his helmet are athletes, including weightlifter Alina Peregudov, boxer Pavlo Ishchenko and hockey player Alexei Loginov.
"Some of these people were my friends," he added.
The Ukrainian claims that Toshio Tsurunaga, the IOC representative in charge of communicating with athletes and national Olympic committees, was in the Olympic Village to tell him this.
“He said it was because of Rule 50,” Geraskewicz told Reuters.
The IOC confirmed that its representative was in the Olympic Village and told the Ukrainian team what the rules were.
According to Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter, "no demonstrations or political, religious or racial propaganda actions are permitted in any Olympic venue, venue or other area."
Geraskevych also said that the IOC had contacted the Olympic Committee of Ukraine about the helmet.
"The IOC fully understands the athletes' desire to remember those who lost their lives in that and other conflicts around the world," said IOC spokesman Mark Adams.
"We need to focus on sport. It is essential that there are equal rights for all athletes and there must be no violations or interference."
"What we have said is that this helmet violates the aforementioned guidelines. However, we will allow him to wear a black armband during competition."
"He wrote what he thought on social media, but we think this is a good compromise," the IOC spokesman added.
Skeleton competitions begin on February 12th.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in a post on the Ixu network He thanked Geraskewicz "for reminding the world of the price of our struggle."
"This truth cannot be inappropriate or characterized as 'a political demonstration at a sporting event.'"
"It's a reminder to the whole world of what modern Russia is."
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At the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Geraskevych carried a "No to War in Ukraine" sign, days before the Russian invasion began - on February 24, 2022.
Geraskewicz said he intends to respect Olympic rules that prohibit political demonstrations in the venues, but will draw attention to the war in Ukraine during the Games.
"With thousands of athletes competing here from more than 90 countries, there are a number of things people want to celebrate," says IOC spokesman Adams.
"We want the Olympic Games to be a safe place to compete, while also allowing athletes to express themselves."
"He can wear a ribbon without words. No matter how much we agree with a certain expression, we have to maintain a fine balance," he added.
Adams said that people will always "test the rules to the limit" and that the IOC will assess each case individually.
"Our rule is that we have to protect the sports field, which is difficult and there will be people who will try to cheat the system, that's why we have to ban slogans," Adams said.
"In cases where there is a good reason, black armbands will also be allowed for other athletes," the IOC spokesperson added.
Since the beginning of the war, athletes from Russia and Belarus have been largely banned from participating in international competitions.
Over time, some of them were allowed to compete, but under a neutral flag.
At the Winter Olympics, the IOC approved a group of 13 athletes from Russia to compete.
Teams from Russia and Belarus are still banned from participating in team competitions.
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